Read and comment on this story by RPCV Gretchen Kafoury from The Oregonian on her recent trip to Iran as part of an NPCA' sponsored trip. She says that many Americans are unaware of the toll the U.S.-backed Iraq exacted from Iran -- eight years of war and over a million dead. The war was launched by Saddam Hussein soon after the Islamic Revolution in 1979 because he believed Iran was already in crisis. You might assume that this battering invasion would have left the Iranians with deep hostility toward Iraq. It certainly has, and there are billboards in every city with pictures of martyrs from that war. But during her visit she heard no support for the United States attacking Iraq and it gave her pause to realize that if Iraq's neighbor and enemy is not clamoring for war; perhaps our country should pause, too. Read the story at:

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Eye-opening return trip to Iran

12/05/02 Gretchen Kafoury

I ran -- what a myriad of images come to mind for most Americans: the overthrow of the shah, the 444-day hostage crisis, Iran-Contra revelations and part of the President Bush-dubbed "Axis of Evil."

For me these widely recognized associations are not my primary ones. I lived and taught English in Iran from 1964 to 1966 as a Peace Corps volunteer. My memories are of the ancient civilizations of Iran -- of Cyrus and Darius the Great, of Alexander's conquest, the Zoroastrians, the Arab Conquest, the Ottomans and the Qajars.

Iran is a country that is used to change. For thousands of years its people have been conquered, but through it all they have been Iranians/Persians and they are proud of this heritage. My strongest memories of living in Iran were the openness and hospitality of these people.

In October I joined a group of 21 other returned Peace Corps volunteers and friends to tour the country for two weeks. I had spent several months during the summer playing my Farsi (Persian) tapes to refresh my spoken language, and it paid off. By the end of the first 24 hours, before I had adjusted to wearing a scarf at all times, my proficiency was flowing like Oregon rain. In conversations with maids, tour guides, hotel staff, shopkeepers and strangers on the street, we were greeted with curiosity and warmth, just as we had been 36 years before.

"Hello, where are you from?"

"America," I replied.

"We love the American people."

"Where did you learn Farsi? You speak very well."

"Which is better, Iran or America?"

And so it went. Everyone we met was friendly and delighted we had returned to their country. In a few instances, we were able to get into the serious matter facing Iran today -- the potential of a U.S. attack on Iraq.

Many Americans are unaware of the toll the U.S.-backed Iraq exacted from Iran -- eight years of war and over a million dead. The war was launched by Saddam Hussein soon after the Islamic Revolution in 1979 because he believed Iran was already in crisis.

You might assume that this battering invasion would have left the Iranians with deep hostility toward Iraq. It certainly has, and there are billboards in every city with pictures of martyrs from that war. But during my visit I heard no support for the United States attacking Iraq. English-language newspapers printed polls of Iranians confirming this position.

It gave me pause to realize that Iraq's neighbor and enemy is not clamoring for war; perhaps our country should pause, too. Gretchen Kafoury, a former Portland city councilor and Multnomah County commissioner, is on the faculty of the Hatfield School of Government at Portland State University.

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This story has been posted in the following forums: : Headlines; COS - Iran; RPCVS return to their COS; Speaking Out

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